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Later that same day…

“My head feels heavy…”
“Heheh, you look like a new person, Kou. You look more mature and really cute.”
“…I don’t think those two adjectives are supposed to go together.”

Kou had always felt like her long hair was bothersome around her neck and shoulders, but now there was a distinct lack of cover there, making her feel oddly cold instead.

During the afternoon, Kou and the other girls had gone to the spa and had their hair done, receiving elaborate hairstyles with splashes of floral fragrances and delicate flower ornaments.

All of the hairstyles shared the same theme, and Kou could already guess the reason why. Knowing all of that, she let out a sigh, realizing her mother had been planning everything behind her back.

“Umm, Kou, did something happen between you and Hijiri?”
“…Hwhhat?!”
“Ah, I was curious about that too! Kou looks a bit more nervous than usual, but Hijiri has been in a really good mood instead!”
“Ahh… umm… Really? You think so?”

Miyuki brought that up, and Hijiri acted like she didn’t know anything, but she was clearly in a better mood than usual and was smiling so much one could almost picture a bright backdrop with blooming flowers behind her.

Kou was also acting strange—refusing to look directly at Hijiri and being more fidgety. At least it didn’t seem like anything bad had happened, with Kou simply being too embarrassed.

In other words, they were giving off the kind of vibe that made people around them want to yell, “Get a room already!”

“At least it doesn’t look like they got in a fight, so it’s alright.”
“But I’m still curious!”
“Ahhh… ummm…”

We just agreed to go on a date.
Just thinking of revealing the truth made Kou’s brain freeze.

“Oh look, the girls are back~”
“Hmm, they did a splendid job. Now, come here, you all still need to get dressed.”

Kou had been going as fast as she could, trying to run away from everything to get home, only to find Kikyo and Amari lying in wait at the entrance.

“Do we… really have to?”
“Of course. This is a fireworks festival—we need to wear the right clothes for the occasion~”
“I wouldn’t be able to do this myself, but Kikyo here informed me that she’s rather accustomed to traditional clothes, so she’ll be helping too.”

Saying that, Amari puffed her chest with pride, having already prepared the yukatas for everyone inside. In response, Kou sighed and looked down, grumbling, “You’re always like this, Mom…”

But she didn’t say much more, as she saw how excited Miyuki and Hinagiku looked and didn’t want to make them feel bad.

“Actually, can Hinagiku and Miyuki change first?”
“There’s something we’d like to get ready before we change.”

“Hmm… if you wish so?”

“Mhm, it shouldn’t take us too long. Did you two install the NLD app we told you about?”
“We did!”
“We’ll go first, then!”

The two youngest happily followed Amari inside.
Once they were gone…

“Subaru should be in the guest room. Let’s go there.”
“Mhm, this is so exciting!”

Then Kou and Hijiri entered as well, holding hands.

◇◇◇

Once they got to the guest room…

Subaru had already changed into a traditional kimono and was sitting down with his eyes closed. He was inside DUO now, so Hijiri communicated with him through a few messages, and after a few minutes…

“Subaru just said they’re ready.”
“Alright, then here goes nothing…”

Kou nervously touched her NLD and opened the application she had been preparing since that morning…

“Link Start.”

She pressed the start button while muttering the command. Then, that application chained the launch of another one—Destiny Unchain Online—and began accessing its data.

A 3D model began to build up in AR in front of Kou’s eyes, and it was…

“…Sis…ter?”

“Yes, good morning, Rouge.”

A small figure with twinkling translucent wings woke up in front of Kou. That was Rouge in fairy form, who was supposed to be in Castle Seyfert. She looked around in confusion until Kou held out her hand, and Rouge’s face lit up as she happily sat down on Kou’s palm.

“Then… this is the world where you live?”
“Mhm, welcome to our world.”
“Welcome, Rouge.”

With Kou and Hijiri saying that, Rouge grinned and looked around with excitement.

The application they were using was one that used AR to recreate data from VR games and pet simulators. Kou and her friends had used it to bring Rouge from DUO into the real world.

“I see it worked out.”
“All thanks to you, Subaru.”
“I also set it up so Lyco and Hina can come up if the girls call for them.”

Since the application didn’t officially support DUO yet, Subaru had needed to log in through full-dive and configure things within the game for it to work. Now that everything was done, he woke up in the real world again.

With his work finished, Kou passed him a glass of barley tea with ice cubes clinking inside, and thanked him. Just then, someone opened the door to the guest room.

“Excuse me for a bit.”
“Ah, Mom. Are they done changing?”
“No, not yet. It turns out Kikyo is much more adept than me, so I let her handle it.”

Amari said that while entering the room, followed by two others.

“Ah, Dad is here too?”
“And Papa?”

Kou and Hijiri tilted their heads in confusion upon seeing their fathers enter, already changed into traditional kimonos as well. But Amari didn’t bat an eye at their confusion, and instead went to Rouge.

“Ohh, so this is the AI everyone has been talking about. It certainly looks like she has awakened to a higher plane of intelligence. Truly intriguing.”

Amari’s scientist side was instantly activated as she carefully examined Rouge’s appearance and behavior, her eyes full of curiosity. That inquisitive attitude made Rouge recoil in embarrassment, which made Amari smile.

“Well, if you’re Kou’s little sister, then that makes you my daughter, so I wouldn’t dare hurt you. Rest easy.”
“Ummm… then… you’re Sister’s mother?”
“Yes, but you can just call me Mother if you wish.”

Amari said that while lightly tapping Rouge’s head with a finger, trying to reassure her.

“Actually… Mom, there’s something I wanted to ask you about Rouge.”
“Yes, I know. You’d like to preserve her data, correct?”

Kou nodded, surprised that her mother had already read her intentions so clearly.

“It may have happened by chance, but she’s still a traditional AI that gained a higher consciousness, making her a valuable research sample.
Attempting to grant her the same rights and liberties as human beings might be a step too far, but there’s more than enough reason to preserve her.”
“Then..!”
“Yes, I already expected you to request that. The two of you back there—you heard my daughter.”

Amari turned around to look at Sora and Kaname behind her.

“You two are the technical leads. What’s your opinion on the matter?”
“Well… Kaname, you’re the main system designer. What do you think?”
“Hmm… We could try moving the data over to the home server of the house’s assistant, Room Master, and somehow get them to run together. That should allow her to move freely, at least within the house, and she’ll be able to piggyback off someone’s NLD when going outside.”

“I see… Ah, then how about this? We get a small drone connected to her thought routines, so she can use that as her origin point when exploring outside? Wouldn’t that give her a bit more freedom?”
“I see… Then the only issue would be making sure it’s safe for other people nearby, and the battery life. There might also be a bit of latency from transmitting all that data wirelessly…”

The two engineers quickly became fully enthralled by their ideas. It seemed like they would have everything figured out and working in just a few days if they were left undisturbed…

“Ughh, Papa and Uncle Sora, we’ll never get to the fireworks if you start discussing that now!”
“Yeah, once you two start talking, you forget about everything going on around you. Leave that for when we return, okay?”
“Hrngh…”
“Ah… ahahah… Fair point…”

The two fathers felt Hijiri and Subaru’s intense stares on them and lowered their heads in defeat, knowing they couldn’t argue back.

“Ummm… what are they talking about, Sister?”
“Well, I guess you could say we’re trying to find a way for you to live with us here?”
“Can you really…? Yes, please! I’d really like to live here!”

Kou and Rouge were beside themselves with joy hearing that and couldn’t stop thanking the adults, while Hijiri and Subaru seemed to be upset with them…

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